This invention relates to a restraining device and, more particularly, to a device for restraining the hands of a medical or surgical patient, typically while the patient is in bed.
There are many common situations in the practice of medicine where the hands of a patient must be restrained for one reason or another. A classic example is a patient in an intensive care unit where a ventilating tube is placed in the patient's throat. These tubes are uncomfortable and, after many hours, can evolve into something excruciating uncomfortable to the point of being nauseating or claustrophobic. It is not uncommon for patients to remove, or attempt to remove, these tubes if their hands are free to do so. The patient might attempt to remove the tube when asleep or unconscious or might attempt it deliberately when conscious. Thus, it is not uncommon to tie a patient's hands to a nearby support, such as a bed rail or the bed frame.
Although a variety of complicated wrist restraints have been proposed in the prior art, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,596,792 and 2,706,477, the current state of the art is a long fabric or tough paper strap. A nurse uses this strap in one of two ways. First, the nurse may simply tie one end of the strap to the patient's wrist and the other end to a bed rail or bed frame. Second, the nurse may tape the strap to the patient's three large fingers with 3" wide adhesive tape. The nurse is sufficient adept and experienced that the strap is tied to the bed so that neither hand can reach the throat or reach the other hand. There are many problems with both restraint techniques. If the strap is tied to the patient's wrist, it must be tied snugly enough that the strap does not come loose without immediately cutting off blood circulation in the patient's hand. If the strap is tied to the patient's wrist, it may interfere with an IV or with an IV site. Current guide lines require that the straps be removed every two hours and the patient's wrist and hands inspected to determine if circulation to the hand has been interrupted. Concerning tied restraints, this requirement may be observed more in the breach than in the observance. With adhesively attached straps, there is no question that the adhesive tapes are not removed every two hours.
Disclosures of some interest relative to this invention are found in U.S. Pat. 869,686; 2,588,961; 3,122,806 and 5,191,903.